Theme parties – boys dread them, girls love them. When it comes to theme parties, it’s about having the best outfit for the best Instagram. Besides, costumes make everything more fun! Theme parties are the essence of college. Whether it be army, ABC (anything but clothes), country-western, neon, America, or around the world, there is a great costume to be worn, pictures to be taken, and memories to be had.

I went to my first theme party my freshman year of college. It was a disco theme, and everyone was into it. The following day, however, was another party that wasn’t nearly as fun. My guess? The lack of costumes at the second party really hindered the overall spirit. It’s hard to compare a party that was a big hit among all who were in attendance, and a party no one really enjoyed. It was evident that with the disco music and groovy set of digs, it won the best party of the year.

However, boys don’t seem to hold the same enthusiasm for theme parties. Groans of “I don’t want to pick out an outfit,” “This theme is so stupid,” “Ugh, I can’t wear my Lulu shorts because it doesn’t fit the them--I hate this already” may seem to dampen the essence of theme parties, but I believe that deep down, they love putting new clothes on their back and taking pictures in their themed get-up just as much as girls do.

The negative of theme parties is often the chosen theme. It is not going to be enjoyable to host an ABC party in the dead of winter, because everyone will leave for fear of frostbite. Nothing is worse than people leaving your theme party that you put so much effort into, knowing that the next day you will hear whispers of its epic failure. It’s equally stupid to use an over-used theme. Would you want to attend a toga party if there were three other toga parties the week before? Probably not. It’s also worse to host a theme that is awkward and/or no one has ever even heard of. Would you want to attend an extremely awkward “senior citizen” party? (This was an actual theme party my friend has attended. Needless to say, it was not very popular and the theme hasn’t been used since.) People want to be excited about the theme, their costume, and their friend’s/date’s costume as well, so it is important to deliver to everyone’s expectations.

Overall, my love for theme parties will not dwindle any time soon. Whether you love them or hate them, there’s so much fun to be had. College is about making friends, memories, and creating a learning experience. Theme parties add a little spice to the everyday college town scene, so go to them with excitement and your best costume yet. At the end of the day, these are your college memories that will last, so why not make them a little more interesting with a trash bag dress or American flag boxers? Your Instagram followers will thank you.